Reviews by richmof:

33cl bottle (also from Redmonds)...finally got taste: it has been out of stock the last few times I was at the Porterhouse.

Poured a midnight black into a Porterhouse tulip. Gray bubbly-slightly creamy head with not much retention.

On the nose I get bitter chocolate, earthy spice, some alcohol, dark fruits...
The palate is very good. Intense flavours: espresso, liquorice, treacle, dark fruits, smokey malt. I get a bit of an alcohol kick at the end but not offputting.

Not too dry and not too sweet: this is exactly how I would want an imperial stout to be. At 7%, not sure I would have more than two or three but I am delighted to find this. The best Irish porter or stout I have ever tasted.

This beer pours a veritably solid black, with attractively restrained cherry cola highlights, and three fingers of densely foamy, rather bubbly, and eventually chunky burnt tan head, which leaves some sudsy expansive tree limb lace around the glass as it gently subsides.

The bubbles are softly integrated, and little more, the body a tame medium weight, mostly smooth, and creamy like all Irish stouts, no stereotyping intended. It finishes on the sweet side, the chocolate, coffee, toffee, and perceived alcohol all large and in charge, while the astringent fruit and converse booze edginess fade accordingly.

A tasty enough RIS, in the traditional sense, so cheers, slainte, and na zdrovye to these sassy underdogs in the Irish brew scene. Unfortunately, to my American-dulled palate, this is a wee bit too underwhelming, more than a tad too weak (strangely), due to westward expansion, or something. Anyways, drinkable, enjoyable for what it is, and commendable all the same.

330 ml received in trade from mtbdonn... Big props goes out to Donn for an epic 2nd trade! Shared this one with the brother tonight.. the Lion's share goes into a HotD goblet. Spotty lacing.

Light brown head... the brew is inky black.. nice retention and cap.

The nose is roasty and a bit sweet.. a little bit of soy sauce makes me think this is higher ABV than 7%.. but I will trust the label. Not getting much in the way of hops except some possibly imaginary grassy notes. Nice rounded stout flavors as the glass approaches room temp.

Pretty good flavors across the board.. dark malt and some minor char... dark fruity elements are of the raisin and dark cherry element... cocoa (almost milk chocolate) shows with warmth..

S: Nose is full of deep roasted malts and booziness. It smells much bigger than the ABV implies.

T: Taste just knocks you down with crisp, dry malts and bitter hops. There is a black coffee taste and a bit of booze, but in a good way.

D: This is hefty, but the alcohol is well hidden and compliments the other flavours. A very complex and original brew.

Overall: This is, as the Porterhouse claims, not an RIS, but an Imperial Dry Stout. It has the hop kick you find in an RIS, but there is the undeniable roasted dryness that is key in an Irish stout. Extremely tasty and flavourful brew, one of Porterhouse's best.